Just over a week ago was the Trowse 10k. It was a battle against the elements, and a stark reminder that even the best training plans can’t always account for Mother Nature’s fury. As you may recall from my previous article, I had been training with a sub-40 minute finish personal record as my target. The data suggested I was on track, and even with a shorter-than-ideal training block behind me, I felt optimistic, even if reaching that sub-40 mark felt like a bit of a long shot.
Unfortunately, Storm Kathleen had other plans. While the event HQ offered some shelter from the windy gusts, pre-race jitters were amplified by the knowledge that the promised calm at 10am might not arrive in time for the race itself.
The first kilometre, thankfully, was flat and blessedly wind-free. I crossed the marker at a promising 3:46, feeling comfortable and slightly ahead of my pace from the previous year. The scenic trails along the Broads offered some respite as I clocked the second kilometre in 3:58, still feeling strong and about 10 seconds faster than last year.
Then came the turning point. The third kilometre, a long stretch of exposed road, was directly into the teeth of the wind. It was a demoralising battle, each stride feeling heavier as I willed the wind to abate. Relief finally came at the 3km marker, a turn that signalled the beginning of the much-dreaded hill climb. My time at this point was 11:45 – the 10-second advantage over last year was gone, and my legs were already starting to feel the strain.
The climb itself was a grind, but I managed to conquer it, reaching the 4km mark in 16:20, exactly the same time as the previous year. At this point, it was clear that not only would a sub-40 finish be a struggle, but even matching last year’s time would be a challenge.
Descending the hill, I opted for a conservative pace, hoping to conserve some energy for the inevitable headwind on the return leg back to the hill. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up strength, turning the return trip into a gruelling slog. A glance at my watch during a particularly fierce gust revealed a pace of just under 4:40 min/km – a significant slowdown.
By the time I reached the bottom of the hill for the second time, my legs were spent. My time at the 7km marker was a disheartening 28:36, over 30 seconds slower than last year. Pushing up the hill again was a monumental effort, and by the 8km mark (33:20), I was almost a minute behind my previous year’s pace. With 2 kilometres remaining, sub-40 was a distant dream, and even a personal record was out of reach.
The 9th kilometre was all downhill, so I decided to keep going, not wanting to give up entirely. I reached the road for the final kilometre. The wind had not abated, and I was just outside of 37 minutes. I was never going to complete the final kilometre withing 4 minutes, let alone 3. Time to admit defeat – I eased up and ‘cruised’ in, crossing the finish line at 41:30 – a disappointing result but a testament to the unpredictable nature of racing.
This race served as a powerful reminder that mental toughness and adaptability are just as crucial as physical fitness on race day. And while the sub-40 target wasn’t met at the Trowse 10k, it’s all training (physical and mental) for future races.
The Dereham 10-mile race is next on the calendar, and this time I’ll be aiming for a 66:30 finish. Fingers crossed for calmer weather. I suspect it will be, but the ticker is that for some reason, this race is more often than not, an unseasonably hot one!
Until next time, happy training everyone!
That’s right, blame Mother nature’s mood Excellent write up (as usual) and being devils advocate, maybe conserving energy going downhill before the inevitable wind was a bit of a psychological block? I am fascinated with athletes who think ahead whilst mindfully enjoying the moment they are in. I will be emailing you soon about what I want to include about all this in my book. Your insights and thoughts will be greatly appreciated as, these type of race write ups are invaluable to the rest of us
Thanks Phil, glad you enjoyed the write-up!
The nagging question is how would I have fared until ‘ideal’ conditions. A quick look within my category at some of the people who ran last year and this year, the majority did run slower. On average I’d say by around 45 seconds. Not that really answers anything, as we know nothing of their goals and training for either race.
On the downhill conservation point, that’s an interesting take. Maybe subconsciously I was holding back a bit too much, unsure of the wind strength on the return trip. Though, on this occasion, both of my descents were within a second of last year. So while I was more conservative with my subjective effort in anticipation of the impending head-wind I was still ‘fast’. However, your point is still valid, and I have no doubt that the impending fear of what is to come can set people up to fail.
Looking forward to your email about the book. I’m always happy to share my experiences (victories and defeats alike) if they can help others. A big thank you for all your encouragement and support over the years.